Elevator or conveyer



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No. 495.685. Patented Apr. 18, 1893.

(No Model.) I 2 Sheets-Sheet 2. M. M; SHELLABE RGER. ELEVATOR OR GONVBYER PatentedApr. 18, 1893;

5141mm Ito Z wwwoeo NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MICHAEL M. SHELLABERGER, OF BEAVER FALLS, PENNSYLVANIA.

ELEVATOR OR CONVEYER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 495,685, dated April 18, 1893. Application filed August 14, 18 91. Serial No. 402,670. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, MICHAEL M. SHELLA- BERGER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Beaver Falls, in the county of Beaver and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Elevators or Oonveyers, fully described hereinaf ter; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification.

The object of my invention, which relates, particularly, to the construction of the chain and the manner of securing the buckets there to, is to provide means for connecting the links and securing the buckets thereto without the use of bolts, pins, or other independent fastening devices; furthermore, to provide means whereby buckets of any suitable material, including glass, pottery, stone, metal, 850., may be secured in place without perforating or otherwise altering the construction; further more, to provide means whereby the rear or outer side of the bucket is protected from frictional contact with the bottom of the boot; and furthermore, to provide meansfor securing the bucket in place, whereby independent vibration of the latter is prevented.

With these objects in view, the invention consists in a certain novel construction and combinations of parts, fully described in connection with the drawings, wherein;

Figure 1 is a side view of an elevator, embodying my improvements. Fig. 2 is afront view, partly broken away, of a portion of the elevator-chain, showing the manner of securing the buckets thereto. Fig. 3 is a perspec tive view of one of the holder-links, detached.

. Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view of the latinvention relates solely to the construction of the chain, including the holders for the buckets, and the means for securing the latter in place, and therefore a particular description of the elevator is unnecessary. The holder-links are rectangular in form, and consist, essentially of side-bars, O O, which are connected at their upper ends by a flat integral top-bar, D, which, lies in a plane parallel with the side-bars. Theside-bars are further connected, a short distance from their lower ends by transverse, front and rear bars, E and F, which together form a pocket or inclosure in which fits the lower end of the bucket, G, the front bar being loop-shaped, or provided at its ends with off-sets, 6, whereby the main portion of the bar is in front of the plane of the sidebars, and the rear bar-being similarly shaped, and provided atits ends with off-sets, fiwhereby its main portion is in rear of the plane of the side-bars, and in the same plane with the top-bar. The upper ends of the side-bars are curved rearwardly so as to cause the top-bar to be slightly in rear of the plane of the main portions of the side-bars. The rear bar, F, is above the plane of the front bar, E, for a purpose which will be hereinafter explained. The holder-link, B, is further provided with lateral trunnions, H, two of which are secured to each of the side-bars, thereof, one near the upper end, and the other adjacent to the lower end, below the plane of the front bar, E. These trunnions are adapted to be engaged by the notches in the sprocket-wheels which convey the chain being provided with rounded shoulders, or webs, I, adjacent to the pins, which serve as guides to prevent the chain from vibrating laterally, and thereby prevent the sprocket-wheels from cramping against the sides of the holder-link. The trunnions preferably consist of pins which are fitted in perforations, h, in the side-bars, and extend through and project a short distance into the space between the side bars, to form studs, H. Upon these studs are fitted the eyes, k, of the connecting links, K, which links are employed to connect the holderlinks and complete the bucket-carrying chain. The distance between the inner ends of opposite studs, H, is equal to the width of the bucket, G", and therefore when the latter is arranged in the holder-link the ends of the studs bear against its sides and prevent lateral vibration.

It will now be seen thata further object in arranging the top-bar in rear of the plane of' the side-bars is to allow a free movement of the connecting-links, but as the movement of the connecting-links, in passing around a wheel, is forwardly from the position of alignment with the side-bars of the holder-links, it is unnecessary to allow for greater rearward play than shown in the drawings.

The top-bar is provided with a rabbet, L, to receive the upper edge of the bucket, the over-hanging flange, M, above said rabbet, being adapted to engage over the upper edge of the bucket, when the latter is in place, and prevent it from vibrating vertically. The topbar is further provided with pliable ears or clips, N, which are adapted to be bent down against the inner surface of the rear side of the bucket to permanently lock the latter in the holder-link.

In Fig. 5 I have shown another form of clip, 0, which is independent of the top-bar, and may be applied thereto in case one of the ears or clips, N, becomes broken, or in cases when, owing to the extreme frangibility of the bucket, it is impractical to employ blows (of a hammer or other tool) to bend the same to engage the bucket. The clip 0 is preferably formed of pliable metal, and is made sufficiently thin to be bent by the fingers. It is put in place by arranging one end against the inner, (or front) side of the top-bar, passing it downwardly and under the same, and thence upwardly and over the upper edge of the topbar, its free end being bent down against the inner surface of the rear side of the loucket, as shown. This form of clip is similar to the form shown in connection with Figs. 1 to 4 of the drawings, in the matter of operation and efiectiveness, the only difference being that, as it is made separately, one of its ends must first be engaged with the top-bar. By passing this independent clip both under and over the top-bar it is locked securely in place and is held from vibration.

To connect the parts of the improved elevator the operation is as follows: The connecting links are first engaged with the inner ends of the trunnions, (or the studs, H,) after which the bucket, which tapers toward its lower end, is inserted in the pocket or inclosure which is formed by the front and rear cross-bars, E and F, and then the upper end of the bucket is forced rearwardly until it bears against the top-bar and fits in the rabbet therein, the clips being finally bent down to engage the rear side of the bucket.

1n Fig. 4 is shown in dotted lines the position of the bucket in the act of being inserted between the front and rear bars. The bucket is inclined forwardly toward its upper end, in which position it passes readily between the bars, and when the upper end of the bucket is pressed rearwardly the said bars form a grip or clamp to lock the bucket firmly in place. The rear bar acts as a fulcrum and the front bar as a grip or clutch, between which the bucket is locked snugly to prevent vibration. The ends of the studs, H, also bear against the sides of the bucket, thereby preventing the eyes of the connecting-links from being detached. The connecting-links cannot be removed without removing the bucket. Thus, it will be seen, that the buckets are secured in place and the links of the chain are connected simultaneously and by the same operation, the only manipulation, after combining the parts, being to bend the clips to engage the upper edge of the bucket.

The eyes in the connecting links are complete, as shown, not being out or notched to enable them to be engaged with the trunnions, and furthermore, the connecting links are connected to the trunnions inside the plane of the sides of the holder-link, whereby they are out of the way of the sprocket-wheels and are not exposed to any strain except that which is applied longitudinally. It will be seen, furthermore, that the bucket is inclosed in a frame-work, whereby it is protected from contact with the sprocket-wheels. The topbar and rear bar, F, are rounded so as to move freely over the inner surface of the boot, before referred to, and at the same time said bars receive the wear caused by this frictional contact with the boot, and the bucket is protected. The discharging lip, P, of the bucket is free and unencumbered and is adaped to discharge the contents freely, and without risk of spilling, or diverting the stream.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

1. In an elevator or conveyor chain, the holder-link provided with a pocket to receive the lower end of the bucket, and a top-bar having clips to engage the upper edge of the bucket, substantially as specified.

2. In an elevator or conveyer chain, the holder-links for the buckets, provided with parallel front and rear cross-bars and a top bar in the plane of the rear cross-bar, substantially as specified.

3. In an elevator or conveyer chain, the holder-links for the buckets having parallel sid e-bars, a top-bar connecting the upper ends of said side-bars, and parallel transverse front and rear bars, connecting the side-bars near their lower ends, substantially as specified.

at. In an elevator or conveyor chain, the holder-links for the buckets, having side-bars, a top-bar, and parallel front and rear crossbars connecting the side bars above their lower ends, one of said cross-bars being above Eh?1 plane of the other, substantially as speci- 5. In an elevator or conveyor chain, the holder-links for the buckets, having side-bars, a top-bar, and parallel front and rear crossbars, the rear cross-bar being arranged in the same vertical plane with the top-bar and above the plane of the front crossbar, substantially as specified.

6. In an elevator or conveyer chain, the holder-links having side-bars, the rabbeted top-bar, carrying pliable clips to engage the upper edge of the bucket, and front and rear cross-bars, substantially as specified.

7. In combination, the holder-link having parallel side bars carrying trunnions and connected by parallel horizontal top-bar and front and rear cross-bars, the connecting-links fulcrumed upon said trunnions, and the bucket fitting at its lower end between said cross-bars and secured at its upper edge to said top-bar, substantially as specified.

8. In combination, the holder-link having parallel side bars connected by a top-bar and parallel front and rear cross-bars, the trunnions carried by said side-bars and projecting inwardly therefrom to form studs, the buckets engaging said cross-bars and top-bar and fitting at its sides against the inner ends of said studs, and the connecting-links fulcrumed upon the studs between the side-bars and the sides of the bucket substantially as specified.

9. The combination, the holder-link having side-bars, connected by transverse bars, the bucket secured to said transverse bars and separated at its sides from the side-bars, the trunnions carried by the side-bars and having inward extensions which engage the sides of the bucket, and the connecting-links fulcrumed upon the inward extensions of the trunnions and held thereon by the buckets, substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

MICHAEL M. SHELLABERGER. Witnesses:

A. L. BARNES, J 0s. 0. ROUZER. 

